Halle Berry admits that she's been tempted to get plastic surgery in order to keep up with trends in her business. "When you see everybody around you doing it, you have those moments when you think, 'To stay alive in this business, do I need to do the same thing?'," the actress told to Yahoo! Beauty in 2015. "I won't lie and tell you that those things don't cross my mind because somebody is always suggesting it to me."
But she always reminds herself that she neither wants surgery nor needs it. "I just have kept reminding myself that beauty really is as beauty does, and it is not so much about my physical self. Aging is natural, and that's going to happen to all of us ... I just want to always look like myself, even if that's an older version of myself. I think when you do too much of that cosmetic stuff, you become somebody else in a way."
Salma Hayek enjoys the simple things of life: smiling, eating, laughing, crying, etc. Botox only makes those things harder. And as a performer, that's not the best course of action for a career dependent on conveying subtle (and not-so-subtle) emotions. Needless to say, she's not getting on the plastic surgery bandwagon anytime soon.
"I think it's terrible," Hayek said to InStyle, referencing Botox and fillers, "these girls in their late 20s injecting their faces and lips. One told me, 'If I kill my muscles now, I'll never get wrinkles.' Can you imagine?" There are plenty of ways to prevent wrinkles that don't involve sticking needles in your face!
Julia Roberts values self-expression more than looking perfectly smooth 24/7. As an actress, it makes sense! "I want to have some idea what I'll look like before I start cleaning the slates," she told Elle in 2010. "I want my kids to know when I'm pissed, when I'm happy, and when I'm confounded. Your face tells a story... and it shouldn't be a story about your drive to the doctor's office."
"It's unfortunate that we live in such a panicked, dysmorphic society where women don't even give themselves a chance to see what they'll look like as older persons," Roberts continued. But her strong opinions aren't a lack of empathy. She understands the pressures of Hollywood, joking to You Magazine, "By Hollywood standards, I guess I've already taken a big risk in not having had a facelift."
Jodie Foster cares more about how she thinks about herself than how others perceiver her. For instance, she told More Magazine in 2007, ".For me, it's really a self-image thing. Like, I'd rather have somebody go, 'Wow, that girl has a bad nose' than, 'Wow, that girl has a bad nose job.' I'd rather have a comment about who I am than about something that identifies me as being ashamed of who I am.”
As for plastic surgery in general, Foster believes that people should have the freedom to do what they want and that she shouldn't be the authority on controlling other people's actions. “I don't have anything against it for other people," she said. "Whatever they want to do, I'm fine with it."
Founder of the British Anti-Cosmetic Surgery League alongside Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, actress Rachel Weisz isn't so fond of the past few decade's pro-plastic surgery culture. Procedures that were once reserved for the Hollywood elite are spreading across Instagram like wildfire, making young women think they need it in order to be beautiful and successful.
Weisz goes a step further than the rest by saying that Botox should "be banned for actors, as steroids are for sportsmen." She thinks that because "acting is all about expression," then Botox is unnecessary and interferes with your job. "[As an actor], why would you want to iron out a frown?," she asked Harper's Bazaar UK.
Many actors have the same concerns when it comes to plastic surgery. Not only is it bad for their self-esteem, but it makes their job harder! Take Kate Winslet, for instance. She resists plastic surgery because she never would have landed the Titanic role if her face was frozen in place.
During an August 2011 interview with The Telegraph, Winslet stated her opinion loud and clear: "[Plastic surgery] goes against my morals, the way that my parents brought me up and what I consider to be natural beauty. I will never give in. I am an actress, I don't want to freeze the expression of my face."
Former actress, model, and singer Brigitte Bardot spends too much time as an animal rights activist to care about a few wrinkles around her eyes. English fashion museum curator Dennis Nothdurft spoke to The Guardian about the "impossible conundrum" of people "creating icons" and never wanting them to change.
He went on to praise Bardot for dedicating herself to activism and aging gracefully. "Brigitte Bardot has bowed out of the limelight, has refused plastic surgery and hasn't tried to maintain her looks. That's quite refreshing because it's realistic. It is ageing on her own terms, not buying into the system."
Emma Thompson, co-founder of the British Anti-Cosmetic Surgery League, thinks that the plastic surgery among influencers and entertainers has gone way too far. "It's mad," she told Hello Magazine in 2014. "It's not a normal thing to do, and the culture that we've created that says it's normal, is not normal. Why do people ask persons to cut them open and put things into their body? What is that, what are we doing to ourselves?"
Not only does she think it's unnatural, but went on to label it "chronically unhealthy." "People in their 60s shouldn't have to look like they're in their 30s," Thompson continued. "... There's this very serious side to all of that because we're going to end up with this sort of 'super-culture' that's going to suggest to young people, girls and boys, that this looks normal." Enough said.
Tina Fey openly admitted to Today that her "greatest challenge" is simply "just getting older." While she fears that time will get the best of her, she isn't a fan of so-called Botox culture. "There were people on the Globes in their 20s who were so Botoxed. In their 20s!" she said, baffled by the reality she lives in.
"We've been so conditioned now to never see a real human face, one that moves, with its original teeth. Sometimes we forget that there is a choice. I choose not to do this. It's like wearing multiple pairs of Spanx: Good for you, not for me," Fey clarified." [It's] not mandatory."
Some actresses are against plastic surgery for moral reasons, but others are simply afraid of it. Brooke Shields is one of those people. During Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen asked her if she'd "ever consider" going under the knife. Shields told Ladies Home Journal that she wanted laser, but was "scared" she'd "end up looking like the Joker." Similarly, going under the knife is a step too far. "So I'm afraid of it," she admitted. But that doesn't mean she doesn't care about her appearance.
"I also want to [do] everything I can to just look my best and feel my best," Shields clarified, going on to promote the brand SculpSure, which she claims is her secret to anti-aging. "It’s called warm sculpting. It’s actually incredible. I work out so much and yet I still have like, s**t from my babies. It’s really great. It eliminates the fat cells and it actually works.”
Meryl Streep told Vanity Fair in 2009 that when she meets people who have undergone obvious plastic surgery, "it's like an interruption in communication with them." For her, it's "like a flag in front of the view" or some type of emotional shield. And for Streep, who is an award-winning actress, doesn't think it's a good thing for people to proudly tote around those kinds of veils.
In a separate interview with Good Housekeeping, Streep acknowledged how popular surgery's become in Hollywood among everyone, male and female. She, however, refuses to participate. "You'd be amazed at how many men in this industry have gone down that road. I just don't get it," she lamented. "You have to embrace getting older. Life is precious, and when you've lost a lot of people, you realize each day is a gift."
Popstar Pink has made her opinion on plastic surgery one of the loudest in Hollywood. After releasing a long statement on Twitter addressed to herself and her aging body, it was clear she had no interest in getting fillers or lipo despite being tempted by the idea of eternally smooth skin. It doesn't help that she's surrounded by celebrities who no doubt promote the plastic surgery culture and indirectly pressure her to take part.
"Dear Me, you're getting older," Pink wrote. "I see lines. Especially when you smile. Your nose is getting bigger… You look (and feel) weird as you get used to this new reality... Every once in a while you consider altering your face... watch a show where you want to see what the person is feeling… and their face doesn't move." She also prompted fans to "get on board" because "I am about to AGE THE OL FASHIONED WAY."
It seems like Sigourney Weaver has barely aged a day since appearing as Ripley in the 1979 cult-classic sci-fi Alien. But Botox has nothing to do with it, apparently. She's aging all-naturally and happy to share her secrets to staying young -- without suffering through three-thousand dollar surgery.
During an interview with Stellar in 2020, the 71-year-old actress credited diet and exercise for her youthful glow. "Working in this business makes me stay fit. Stamina is probably one of the most important things to have... [Director] Jim Cameron is also a vegan, so we have vegan caterers on the Avatar films. My husband, daughter, and I really try very hard to be at least vegetarian."
The last thing actress Julianne Moore wants to do is shame her peers for getting work done on themselves. However, she can't lie and say it's for her. "I hate to condemn people for doing it, but I don't believe it makes people look better," Moore confessed to Allure magazine. "I think it just makes them look like they had something done to their face. When you look at somebody who's had their face altered in some way, it just looks weird."
Moore's problem with surgery boils down to unrealistic expectations for beauty and aging. She went on to say, "Cosmetic surgery itself starts to look normal, and we lose track of what a real face is like." In other words, she fears the negative repercussion of looking like a walking Instagram filter. As people continue to normalize the "look" of plastic surgery, self-esteem goes down the toilet!
Judi Dench revealed in her memoir And Furthermore that a casting director in the '50s once told her, "Well, Miss Dench, I have to tell you that you have every single thing wrong with your face." If that doesn't trigger you into getting plastic surgery, we don't know what will! But this actress has remained strong.
In fact, when she landed the best-actress nomination for playing Queen Victoria in the '90s, she kept a diary titled ."Countdown to the Oscars, Or Will I Be the Only Unlifted Face in Hollywood?" Seeing as she's aged so gracefully over the years and through eight Bond films, it's clear she made the right decision.
Emma Watson told Elle that she doesn't believe that plastic surgery is necessary for success. Sure, it feels like Hollywood sets impossible standards for beauty but most of it is chalked up to insecurity and L.A. culture. "I think the actresses who are really successful are the ones who are comfortable in their own skins and still look human," Elle reported.
Watson continued: "I find LA quite scary because of that—all those young people having plastic surgery. But the thing is, I don't want to look like everyone else. I don't have perfect teeth, I'm not stick thin. I want to be the person who feels great in her body and can say that she loves it and doesn’t want to change anything. It's ridiculous that seems such an unrealistic goal."
Kate Beckinsale doesn't hold back when asked by Glamour how she feels about plastic surgery. She said, "I much prefer how my mother looks to the people I see here [in Los Angeles] with wind tunnel face." Not only does she roast the shallow people in L.A. who spend way too much money on facelifts only to look like rubber but she also gives herself a roundabout compliment.
Of course, Beckinsdale probably didn't intend to imply that she's a natural beauty (which is obvious to anyone with eyes). She's really saying that her mother is all-natural and looks amazing despite all of the signs that come with aging from dark circles to fine lines and forehead wrinkles.
Natural beauty Charlize Theron wishes women would feel more empowered to be just themselves. "I think today women are very scared to celebrate themselves because then they just get labeled," Theron famously said. And she's right! Labels can be incredibly empowering when used positively yet completely debilitating when used as a bearer of judgment.
Because the actress refuses any plastic surgery, she makes sure to take care of her skin. "My skin always comes alive after exfoliating and moisturizing," Theron told Glamour "I’m one of those people who are open to whatever friends are loving, but I always go back to Dior’s Prestige line, especially its hydrating serum."
The verdict's still out on whether Eva Longoria has Botox, but she claims that the rest of her body is just the way she likes it. "I like being small — I've known so many women with big boobs who feel overweight or end up with back problems," Longoria told Esquire. She feels the same about the rest of her body, too. "[My butt] shapely and it has served me well."
The Desperate Housewives star clarified that's she's not trying to be conceited, merely confident: "I've known so many women with big boobs who feel overweight or end up with back problems." She goes on to admit that it took her a while to grow into herself. "I just came into my own sexuality at 30. I don't think it's something you can deeply experience at 18 or any time before that."
For the 2012 issue of Allure, supermodel Heidi Klum bared it all on the front cover of the issue. She went on to tell the magazine how she is so confident to model nude. "I think you just have to be comfortable in your skin. But I'm a nudist in any case, I've never had a problem with my body and I don't really care what people think."
This discussion led to one on the plastic surgery trend in Hollywood, which Klum wholeheartedly denies participating in at the current moment, but doesn't necessarily have qualms about it when she's older. "Ask me again when I'm 65, but I'm proud to be able to say, in this day and age, I haven't done anything. Everyone has a view of what’s pretty and what’s not pretty, and [plastic surgery] just doesn’t look pretty to me." We'll see what happens in the future!
Actor Johnny Depp has been involved in his fair share of highly publicized scandals over the past few years, but plastic surgery isn't one of them. Johnny Depp thinks it's more important to stay youthful in spirit, rather than in appearance. Yet he still has fun changing up his appearance for his numerous wacky roles. "I love the idea of changing my look. I think one owes it to the audience, to go out there and give them something different each time, so as not to bore them to death," IMDb reports.
As for his specific thoughts on surgery, Depp told BBC in 2014, "I suppose nowadays it's all a question of surgery, isn't it? Of course, the notion is beautiful, the idea of staying a boy and a child forever, and I think you can. I have known plenty of people who, in their later years, had the energy of children and the kind of curiosity and fascination with things like little children. I think we can keep that, and I think it's important to keep that part of staying young. But I also think it's great fun growing old."
Michelle Pfeiffer isn't convinced that plastic surgery is a solution for growing older or seduction of any kind. "I don't believe men want women to have grotesque plastic surgery or be undernourished and bony," Pfeiffer told Stuff in 2009. "All the plastic surgery in the world can't stop you [from] getting older."
Pfeiffer takes care of her body the old-fashioned away with a balanced diet, hearty exercise, and plenty of beauty sleep. She said, "It's simple. Eat well, exercise, and get lots of sleep but make sure you indulge occasionally. At my age I think, what the hell, and eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut!"
British supermodel Kate Moss is best known for her fame in the '90s during the height of the "heroin chic" trend blazing through the fashion world. For someone so slim, it's easy for onlookers to forget that every person has their insecurities even if they don't look like they would!
In 2013, Moss told Allure, "I didn't like my flat chest. I was like, 'Oh, I'm going to have a [boob] job.' Can you imagine?" As you can see, she didn't go through with the surgery. She chose to deal with her insecurities by faking it until she made it rather than jumping headfirst into a "quick fix" surgery.
Because he was born in 1930, nobody is disillusioned enough to think that Clint Eastwood has had any plastic surgery. The actor himself laughed off the possibility, saying that it's far too late for him to be engaging in those kinds of alterations. You get what you get when Eastwood's involved!
He reported to Mercury News in 2008, saying, "I think being able to age gracefully is a very important talent. It is too late for me. The horse is out of the barn. In past generations, people would try to play younger than they really are. My trick is, I don’t try to play younger than I really am." Sounds simple enough!
Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama knows more than anyone what it's like to be scrutinized for her appearance, especially as a public figure outside of the Hollywood sphere. While she doesn't judge women for doing anything they want to do, she doesn't feel the need to get any work done.
She told The Telegraph, "Women should have the freedom to do whatever they need to do to feel good about themselves. Right now, I don’t imagine that I would go that route, but I’ve also learned to never say never." And it makes sense because she is naturally beautiful! In fact, she and her husband Barack Obama are currently featured in painted portraits by "groundbreaking artists" at the Art Institute of Chicago for an exhibit titled "The Obama Portraits." Only natural beauty required!
Actress Liv Tyler — daughter of musician Steven Tyler of Aerosmith — has made a name for herself outside of her father's fame after starring in hit films including The Lord of the Rings and Heavy. What she isn't known for, fortunately, is having a grotesque amount of surgery. In fact, she's famous for her natural beauty!
When interviewed by AskMen, Tyler shivered at the thought of having any sort of plastic surgery done, and she wasn't afraid to condemn it entirely. "I don’t want to ever have cosmetic surgery, so I want to do the best I can with what I have. I hate that look where people’s faces have just changed. It’s so creepy."
Scottish singer-songwriter and activist Annie Lennox held nothing back when she posted on Facebook criticizing plastic surgery. It all went down after English actress Jane Leeves called out fellow actresses, including Meg Ryan, for going overboard with esthetic treatments. "We all know who has and who hasn’t [had plastic surgery]," Leeves said on The Daily Mail. "There are some who look better than others, but you can tell at 50 paces.”
Lennox channeled Leeves on Facebook, writing, "There’s just something very obvious about plastic surgery and Botox. I really think people need to think very carefully before heading for the needle or the knife... It’s very obvious and looks like the person’s wearing a static mask. You just lose all semblance of authenticity. I don’t know why so many women seem to flock towards having their lips swollen and their foreheads stiffened like cardboard. It doesn’t make women look younger. It just makes them look disturbing."
Legendary Batman and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest actor Jack Nicholson denied having any interest in plastic surgery to The Daily Mail in 2011. For someone who claims that they "used to feel irresistible to women," it's clear he has enough confidence to live without forced alterations to his appearance.
And Nicholson's not very impressed by the Hollywood elite toting around fake faces and plastic bodies. "I haven’t had surgery. I don’t want to be judgemental, but some of the things you see these days in Hollywood are a bit horrifying. I mean, I don’t know what’s going on here, but I don’t want to scare people." That last part is kind of ironic if you think about it!
For Cate Blanchett, she thinks that wrinkles "will be sexy in 50 years' time" and everyone who got Botox will be filled with regret. "Look at a man or a woman in their 50s and all I see when they have brushed their years away with surgery is self-obsession and fear," the actress told the Herald Sun. "That’s not particularly attractive."
So what are Blanchett's secrets to staying beautiful? Consistency, sunscreen, and skincare masks, she told Allure. "I think consistency is a big part of making your skin more resilient... I’m eternally grateful that my mother always encouraged me to stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen. With very pale skin, it was especially important not to become a bronzed sun bunny. I think 90 percent of people who have issues with their skin — health-wise and also in terms of satisfaction with their complexion — are actually talking about sun damage."
Six Feet Under actress Frances Conroy is one of the most savage regarding plastic surgery and Botox on this list. One of the actress's most famous quotes is as follows: "As you age naturally, your family shows more and more on your face. If you deny that, you deny your heritage. If you choose to be Frankenstein with Botox and plastic surgery, you've bought your own private mask."
Conroy knows what it's like to have her appearance permanently altered. Because of a car accident, she had eye surgery but was left with a discolored eye that looks particularly glassy when she's not wearing colored contacts. But instead of feeling insecure about it, she used it to her advantage for roles such as those in American Horror Story that further catapulted her fame.
