Joanne Froggatt has said she feels “fantastic” after turning 40, despite the fact it is perceived as a “negative milestone” for women.
The actress said that in the run-up to her birthday she was “constantly” asked how she felt about approaching the landmark age.
She added that her age has been “public knowledge” ever since she started working as an actress at 16.
This meant lying about her age was not an option but “it is also something I never wanted to do”, Froggatt said.
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This is 40 ❤️ So I turned 40 last weekend and I felt I couldn’t let it pass without saying that from the moment I turned 39 I was constantly asked how I felt about being nearly 40. My answer was, ‘I don’t know, I’ve only just turned 39, ask me when I’m 40!’ I can now answer that question. I feel fantastic. My age has been public knowledge since I started working professionally as an actress at 16, so lying about my age was never an option it is also something I never wanted to do. As a woman (especially in the industry I’m in) I felt that 40 was seen as this negative milestone. ‘Are you fearful of losing your looks’?’ Are you worried about being a woman in this industry and being 40?’ ‘Don’t forget the clock is ticking, when are you going to have a baby?’ ‘There is less work for actresses over 40 does that worry you?’ Are just some of the questions I’ve been asked over the last year. I feel so incredibly grateful for my first 40 years of life. I feel the happiest and most comfortable in my own skin that I have ever felt. I am wiser, calmer, more confident in myself and my own decisions than I was in my 20’s. I am so fortunate to have the most wonderful people in my life, who have gone out of their way to make me feel special and loved even though I couldn’t celebrate with a party (as I’d hoped) or see a lot of my loved ones. 40 (or any age) is not something to be feared it is something to be celebrated, I am so grateful to be healthy and happy and I am so grateful to be looking forward to the next 40 years of whatever life may bring. 40 is amazing! ❤️❤️❤️ #40thbirthday #turning40 #40yearsold
A post shared by Joanne Froggatt (@jofroggatt) on Aug 27, 2020 at 5:55am PDT
“As a woman (especially in the industry I’m in) I felt that 40 was seen as this negative milestone,” she wrote on Instagram.
She said people have asked whether she is “fearful of losing your looks” or if she is worried about being a woman of that age working as an actress.
Froggatt said she feels “so incredibly grateful for my first 40 years of life”.
“I feel the happiest and most comfortable in my own skin that I have ever felt,” she said.
“I am wiser, calmer, more confident in myself and my own decisions than I was in my 20s.
“I am so fortunate to have the most wonderful people in my life, who have gone out of their way to make me feel special and loved.”
Age “is not something to be feared it is something to be celebrated”, the Downton Abbey star added.
Froggatt said she was not able to celebrate by having a party as she had hoped, or see many of her loved ones.
