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Jennifer Love Hewitt has been in the spotlight as an actress for almost four decades. The Party of Five actress, now 44, admits that “age is a privilege” that she is lucky to experience.
“It means you’re here. It means you're still living it,” she explained, adding that any facial line or indentation is an indication that you've experienced emotions.
“But aging in Hollywood is really hard. It's really hard because you can't do anything right,” she told Michael Rosenbaum on his podcast “Inside of You.”
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The topic hit me hard when Hewitt shared that she had made some unpleasant headlines after a recent haircut that suggested she looked completely different. Hewitt shared her look on social media and chose to filter the image as she wasn't wearing any makeup.
“I really didn’t think about it,” she added of the decision.
JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT RECALLS PAST 'GREAT' COMMENTS ABOUT HER BODY, SAYS BRITNEY SPEARS DOC 'HURT MY HEAD'
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Jennifer Love Hewitt, 44, says it's hard to grow older in Hollywood. Hewitt began his career in the industry as a child actor. (Jennifer Love Hewitt)
“The picture ended up somewhere. And a lot of people said, 'Jennifer Love Hewitt is unrecognizable,'” she said of some of the brutal headlines that were written. “'She's unrecognizable and that's why she used filters because she doesn't want us to know how bad she actually looks now, in her 40s.' And I thought, “This is crazy.” Right?
“So I did a lot of over-the-top, crazy filters on my Instagram and said, ‘Au Natural. No filter', as if I was trying to make fun of it. And then they came after me.” that… They said, “Now she’s just defending herself.”
“I realized,” she complained, “I can’t do anything right.”
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When asked why she couldn't ignore the negative comment, Hewitt replied that it was an impossible task.
Jennifer Love Hewitt photographed on two red carpets in 1998 (left) and 1999 (right). (Getty Images)
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“To pretend we don’t [care] is a lie. “We are human beings and yes, they are known as haters,” the “9-1-1” actress said. “But it's human nature to ask, 'What do people think about me?' I have been an actor for 36 years. You don't care what people think of you, but you must care what people think of you. They want to know what's out there.
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“The only reason these people bother me… I'm a mother of a girl. And it's dangerous what we do to people. I think it's dangerous to say to women, 'You can't look like you're not 22.' I don't care anymore because I don't know how to bear it.' Okay, that's your problem! Because I’m 44 and I look like this.”
Hewitt and her husband Brian Hallisay have three children together.
Jennifer Love Hewitt currently stars in the television series “9-1-1.” (FOX via Getty Images)
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Hewitt is quick to note the irony that at the age when she was considered “sexy,” she actually didn't feel “confident.”
“I felt like I always had to be everything to everyone. I was called 'sexy' before I even knew what sexy was. I was 17 years old on the cover of Maxim. And I had no idea why.”
I have been an actor for 36 years. You don't care what people think of you, but you must care what people think of you. You want to know what's out there.
— Jennifer Love Hewitt on how she is viewed by the public
Jennifer Love Hewitt says most of the comments she receives are really supportive. (Jerod Harris/WireImage)
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“It's weird to me when people say, 'That's the girl we wanted you to be.' I think this girl was so insecure and so confused… This girl,” she said, pointing to herself, “I like who I am. I feel good.”
Despite the criticism, Hewitt also noted that many of her followers grew up with her, making the situation less alien.
“I have to say that most people were very nice to me – they grew up with me. “You look like me now,” she said of her fans.