George Clooney Opens Up About Aging: ‘Live as If You’re Not Going to Get To’

George Clooney believes that getting older is a gift.

On Thursday, August 28, the Ocean’s Eleven actor, 64, was ranked No. 4 on AARP’s Movies for Grownups Hottest Actors Over 50 list — and got real about what it means to age.

“There’s no rhyme or reason for who gets to age and who doesn’t,” Clooney told the outlet. “So you should live as if you’re not going to get to. And then, if you wake up one day and you’re old, you’ve lived a really full life.”

Clooney, who has been in the entertainment business for over four decades, also reflected on his successful career, admitting that the “only life lesson” he has is to “bet on yourself.”

“When there’s opportunities, you gotta go,” he told AARP on Thursday. “In my life, I have been the recipient of a lot of luck. But I also believe you create opportunity for luck. You create enough opportunity and, every once in a while, you’ll hit one.”

Aside from Clooney, AARP’s Movies for Grownups Hottest Actors Over 50 list consisted of No.1 pick Idris Elba, Pedro Pascal, Noah Wyle, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Patrick Dempsey, Dwayne Johnson, Keanu Reeves, Colman Domingo, Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey, Morris Chestnut, Jon Hamm, Javier Bardem, Ricky Martin, Rob Lowe, Benjamin Bratt, Hugh Jackman, Pierce Brosnan, Ken Watanabe, Billy Porter, Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx.

According to Alison Maxwell, the senior executive editor of AARP.org, “the list goes beyond celebrating physical appeal” and “highlights actors who exemplify a spirit of reinvention and challenge outdated stereotypes about aging.”

“Movies for Grownups has always championed stories and storytellers that resonate with an older and sophisticated audience, and these individuals embody the vitality, depth and authenticity that define that mission,” Maxwell shared in a statement.

AARP’s Movies for Grownups program has worked on promoting film and TV that resonate with audiences age 50 and over for more than two decades.

While the men on the list are all still busy with their respective careers, they all have found ways to balance their personal life with their work throughout the years.

Elba, 52, who was ranked number 1 on the list, noted that squats, therapy, ginger shots and breath work have all helped him navigate everything on a day to day basis.

“Whenever you feel like you’re getting wound up, find a quiet corner, chill, take 10 deep breaths — literally count to 10 on the inhale and exhale,” he told AARP on Thursday. “By the time you finish the ninth one, you’re already thinking about something else. Your body is resetting — it’s really magical. The power of the brain and body is phenomenal.”