Sir Ian McKellen says fun is the key to feeling young.
Sir Ian McKellen
The 76-year-old actor keeps his mind sharp and his soul youthful by constantly challenging himself and finding new things to enjoy in life.
When asked how he keeps a youthful mind, he said: "Keep working, keep moving, keep exercising, keep thinking, keep enjoying yourself.
"Maybe you'll hold off the inevitable. You won't, of course! I don't think that I'm immortal like I did when I was younger. 'Die? Me?' Yes Darling, we're all going to die."
McKellen insists he had to ditch the mindset of his generation, who were told that their best years would be behind them once they reached retirement age, to continue growing and having fun as he hit retirement age.
Speaking to Time Out magazine, the 'X Men' star said: "My generation was brought up to think there was a 'prime in life'. When your relationships were settled, your finances were in order, you knew what it was to be you. Well in my prime of life I became famous. It was surprising, but it's been very enjoyable. I get recognised, but not that often, and it's usually to say thank you. That's nice for any actor."
McKellen - who plays a 90-year-old Sherlock Holmes in his latest movie 'Mr. Holmes' - accepts he does have physical limitations because of his advancing years but he won't let anything stop him from working.
He said: "I am old. I've been a pensioner for over 10 years. So I have intimations of incapacity. As an actor you can call on that. I'm younger than Holmes in the film, and I feel younger. But it's not that difficult to know what I've got to look forward to."
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